Bukavu Fire Claims 26 Children’s Lives, Shattering Homes and Classrooms

The injured children are receiving medical care, according to UNICEF, as affected families face the painful consequences of a disaster that reached into their homes and classrooms.

A fire that broke out in Bukavu, South Kivu, on 10 September has killed at least 26 children and injured 25 others, leaving families grieving in a community already living with armed conflict and insecurity. UNICEF expressed deep sadness and alarm over the tragedy, which affected homes and two primary schools in Furaha and Ujamaa, bringing devastating personal losses and disruption to children's education.

Families Grieve as Injured Children Receive Treatment

The injured children are receiving medical care, according to UNICEF, as affected families face the painful consequences of a disaster that reached into their homes and classrooms. The agency extended its condolences to bereaved families and expressed solidarity with the children, parents and wider communities whose lives have been shaken by the fire.

For those affected, the damage is measured in much more than buildings, with familiar places of comfort and learning caught up in an event that claimed young lives. The loss of children has left families mourning, and the destruction of homes and school spaces adds practical difficulties to an already distressing situation.

Children Need Support Beyond the Immediate Emergency

UNICEF warned that the consequences for children would be lasting, pointing to psychological distress in a region where armed conflict and insecurity already place pressure on daily life. The fire has added another deeply unsettling experience for affected children, making emotional care an essential part of the support reaching families and communities.

UNICEF is working with partners to provide mental health and psychosocial support to children, including students, and affected community members. This work recognises that recovering from a disaster involves more than treating physical injuries or repairing damaged buildings, as children need help coping with fear, grief and the disruption of familiar routines.

Education Support and Family Reunions Bring Relief

The impact on two primary schools has made continued access to education an immediate concern, with affected students needing support to carry on with the school year. UNICEF and its partners are helping children maintain access to learning, which can provide structure and contact with others during a period of considerable uncertainty for their families.

Eleven children who had been separated from their parents were reunited with their families on the day of UNICEF's statement, offering a moment of relief amid the community's grief. Support for affected children, families and community members is focused on emotional wellbeing and continued schooling as they face the consequences of the tragedy.